For more than 25 years, I have worked as a prosthetist and orthotist in Germany. Every day, my colleagues and I strive to provide the best possible care for our patients. It is work that I truly enjoy and still find meaningful after all these years. But I had never really worked alongside colleagues outside Germany.
That changed when Human Study invited me to contribute to its educational programs in Ukraine. I initially joined to help develop the curriculum for pediatric prosthetics, an area that has always been close to my heart. Soon afterwards, I travelled to Lviv to teach my first practical workshop. I expected to share my experience with the participants. What I did not expect was how much I would learn by myself.
Working with Human Study took me outside what I now call my “German bubble.” In Germany, we are fortunate to have one of the world’s strongest healthcare systems. We have access to excellent equipment, stable infrastructure, and extensive resources.
In Ukraine, I met equally professionals working under completely different circumstances. Sometimes there was no electricity because of attacks during the previous night. Yet, when the power returned, everyone simply continued working.
What impressed me most was not what they lacked, but their determination to make the best of every situation. That experience changed my perspective. It reminded me why I entered this profession in the first place.
Most of us do not become prosthetists and orthotists to make money. We choose this profession because we want to help people regain their mobility, independence and quality of life. Human Study gave me the opportunity to do exactly that in a different way.
Instead of treating one patient after another, I was helping educate professionals who will go on to treat thousands of patients throughout their careers. Even more importantly, many of them will become educators themselves, passing that knowledge on to the next generation. That is what makes education so powerful.
One of the things I appreciate most about Human Study is its educational philosophy. The programs are based on internationally recognised ISPO standards, combining structured theoretical learning with intensive practical workshops. At the same time, teaching is always adapted to the local context.
When I teach, I don’t bring expensive tools or equipment that participants cannot access after I leave. We work with the materials, components and technologies that are actually available to them. Because good prosthetic care does not begin with expensive technology. It begins with knowledge. Biomechanics, anatomy, clinical reasoning, and good socket design are universal. A well-fitted socket will always matter more than the most advanced prosthetic knee. This is why sharing expertise matters.
The knowledge we have built over decades in Germany has enormous value – not only for our own patients, but for colleagues in countries where educational opportunities are still limited. When we invest our knowledge, the impact does not end when the workshop finishes. It multiplies.
If I could encourage one thing, it would be this: don’t underestimate the value of your own experience. Whether you have been practicing for ten years or thirty, your knowledge can help strengthen rehabilitation services far beyond your own clinic.
For me, working with Human Study has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my professional career. Because sometimes, the greatest contribution we can make is not another prosthesis. It is helping someone else learn how to build the next thousand.
